The demand for southern presidency in 2023 gathered momentum yesterday as Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF); and the members of the House of Representatives from the 17 Southern states backed the demand by the Southern Governors’ Forum for the next president to come from the region.
The President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, said: “We agree with them (Southern governors) fully that the president should come from the South. Given the kind of situation we find ourselves in this country, it is only good to allow fairness and equity in this nation.
By 2023, the North would have finished serving for eight years. So, it should go to the South. It is not for us to tell the South which side it should go in the South; they can decide to give it to the South-east, South-south, or South-west. But it should go to the South. We know that they are also rational in their consideration; so they should be able to determine among themselves, which side it should go in the South.”
According to Thisday, Pogu added that going by the exigencies of time, it would only be right to zone the presidency to the South, adding that the moment calls for seriousness in terms of equity.
Ortom commended his colleagues for their position on power rotation, saying only equity, fairness and justice could strengthen the unity of Nigeria, give all citizens a sense of belonging and reduce tensions in the country.
His Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Terver Akase, quoted him as describing the decision of the Southern Governors’ Forum to enact laws to ban open grazing of livestock in the region as a bold and patriotic move that will end the lingering crisis caused by armed herdsmen.
Ortom lauded his colleagues for backing their May 11, 2011 Asaba Declaration against open grazing with the resolve to legally prohibit nomadic cattle rearing
He said the resolution conformed to the global best practice of animal husbandry.
Ortom re-echoed his call on the federal government to respect the 1999 Constitution as altered on fundamental human rights, the rule of law and federal character.
He restated his commitment to speak out against injustice, quoting Reverend Martin Luther King Jnr., who stated: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”